Chapter 30

Chapter 30

“So, just like when the torrential rain fell this time.”

“There must have been very few people around the swollen river. The current of the river, which was usually calm, would have become faster, and because of the sounds of the rain and the water, no one would have heard the children’s screams.”

At that point, Ash understood what Rosalyn meant.

“They could have used boats to transport the children.”

“It’s just my personal speculation.”

Whether she was being modest or merely pretending to be, Ash gave a helpless laugh at her response.

It had only been a short time, but he had still worked as a detective for two years, and during that time, he had solved several fairly major cases.

Yet in this case, he felt as though he was relying entirely on Rosalyn’s advice.

‘That doesn’t make me feel bad, though.’

He looked at Rosalyn without losing his smile.

“Is there anything else you are ‘speculating’ about?”

“Even if there is, they’re all things you would have thought of yourself, Inspector. Like looking for the boatmen who moved their boats on the day of the torrential rain, or investigating the warehouses near the mouth of the river….”

“Like not opening the floodgates downstream of the Timber River, or strengthening surveillance of the passes used to enter and leave the city gates. Things like that?”

“See? You already know everything.”

Her face was so coy and pretty as she gave a soft, girlish laugh that it was almost infuriating.

While Louis stood there with his mouth agape in surprise at Rosalyn’s suggestions, Ash quickly wrote them down in his notebook.

“I’ll be sure to contact you as well, Miss Rosalyn, once the case is successfully resolved.”

“I’d appreciate that. Then, I’ll be going now.”

She rose lightly and left the office, as though she had only just finished what she had come for.

Louis, who had been staring blankly at her retreating figure, let out a “Huh” as though exhaling a breath he had been holding.

“That young lady is the talent the police headquarters failed to notice.”

“Exactly.”

Ash, who likewise could not take his eyes off Rosalyn’s straight back and red hair, muttered.

“She’s an interesting woman.”

***

‘Phew. Did I stick my nose into something I shouldn’t have?’

On my way back from the police headquarters, I asked myself that question several times.

Because I wanted to save the children, I had met Ash under the pretext of returning a handkerchief and told him various things, but I was worried that I might somehow be interfering with the investigation.

However, three days later, all such worries disappeared.

The child disappearance case had made the front page of the newspapers and begun receiving widespread attention.

「Child Disappearance Case, Suspected Involvement of Human Trafficking Organization」

「Royal Family Enraged by Child Kidnapping Case: Orders Eradication of Human Trafficking」

「Boatmen Who Helped the Kidnappers Caught by Police」

「Full Investigation of Unregistered Warehouses at the Mouth of the Timber River… Headquarters of Human Trafficking Organization?」

The newspapers covered the case every day.

Ash, who had seemed to be struggling with only one assistant, was receiving massive support and mobilizing the entire police force to scour Herona thoroughly.

And perhaps another week passed before the headline I had been longing for was printed on the page.

「Exclusive! Missing Children Found」

I patiently waited until Count Brough had finished reading the newspaper, then opened it the moment he disappeared, only to find the news that three of the seven missing children had been safely rescued.

Of course, I was overjoyed to hear that the kidnapped children had safely returned to their parents’ arms, but the fact that the whereabouts of the other four were unknown weighed heavily on my heart, especially since it was highly likely that the criminal organization, cornered by the police investigation, had already killed them.

“Why are the bastards who deserve to die living comfortably, patting their bellies, while innocent children have to…!”

That was also the resentment I had carried within me as a child.

I had never asked to be born, and I had merely been dragged out into this world one day, so why did people point their fingers at me? How could I ever be compensated for the childhood I spent being treated like a slave simply because I had nowhere to turn?

The memories of that time, which I had buried away, kept resurfacing, and after suffering for a while, I decided to visit the temple.

It wasn’t because I believed in God. There was no such thing in this world.

But because I wanted my heart to feel at peace, I went to the temple’s flower-offering hall and offered flowers for such a selfish reason, hoping they would bring even the slightest comfort to the souls of the dead children.

And when I returned with an empty feeling in my heart, an unexpected guest was waiting for me in the reception room of the mansion.

It was Ash McCallen, whom I seemed to have been meeting quite often lately.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you in advance. I know I’ve been imposing every time, but police work isn’t something I can schedule around a set time, so….”

“I’m the one who should apologize. I made such a busy person wait for so long.”

I was about to have tea served, but he refused, saying that he only needed to tell me something briefly and had to return immediately.

“I thought you might be concerned.”

“About what?”

“The children. Just now, the remaining four have also been safely rescued.”

“What? Really?”

Without realizing it, I jumped up. I could understand now why people said they were so happy they could jump for joy.

“Ah, they weren’t hurt? They didn’t do anything strange to them?”

“They nearly got killed. It was a close call.”

As I had expected, it seemed the human traffickers had intended to kill all the remaining children.

However, thanks to the police being one step ahead of them, the children had barely been rescued from an abandoned warehouse.

“Those bastards…! Those utterly despicable bastards…!”

To be honest, I wanted to hurl every vile curse I knew at them, but because I was wearing the mask of Rosalyn Tessis, I barely managed to restrain myself.

Perhaps Ash found my appearance amusing, because he gave a quiet chuckle before quickly wiping away his smile and speaking.

“We were lucky this time. But things won’t go so smoothly in the future.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It seems they intend to establish a major operation in Herona. So they won’t abandon their work just because a few underlings were caught this time.”

A chill ran down my spine at his words.

“Does the royal family know?”

“They say they will at least make sure that child trafficking never gains a foothold in Herona. Apparently, all those who were caught will receive the severest punishment.”

It was bitter that their resolve was limited to Herona. How could the local residents possibly live without feeling wronged?

But everything started in the capital and spread throughout the country, so perhaps one day the provinces would also be free of such horrific crimes.

As I was thinking that, it seemed Ash wasn’t finished speaking.

“So, about that….”

The way his words dragged on, as though he were hesitating, made me feel uneasy for some reason.

“Would it be all right if I came to ask for Miss Rosalyn’s opinion from time to time?”

“What?”

A shrill voice escaped me before I could stop it.

Do you even know whose advice you’re asking for right now? I’m the greatest liar Herona has ever seen! Then again, you wouldn’t be acting like this if you knew.

“Well, I was only giving you my personal opinion…. If you want a professional opinion regarding kidnapping or human trafficking cases, you should ask the detectives at the provincial police headquarters instead….”

“I’m not asking Miss Rosalyn to solve cases for me. Professional police officers become accustomed to their own ways of thinking, and before they realize it, they end up thinking only in familiar patterns.”

“So, you’re saying you need a fresh perspective?”

“You catch on quickly.”

He seemed genuinely impressed. I could roughly guess how highly he had been thinking of me.

“I’m not particularly smart. You’ll probably be disappointed. Are you still sure about this?”

“Of course. Though I don’t think there will be anything for me to be disappointed about.”

“Are you perhaps actually fond of me? It would be more convincing to assume you’re making excuses because you want to see me.”

“I do find you quite interesting in another sense, but I promise there will be nothing that will make you uncomfortable, Miss Rosalyn.”

His final answer was rather unsettling.

Perhaps asking for my opinion really was just an excuse. Maybe his true purpose was to keep an eye on me.

But I couldn’t think of any particular reason to refuse him.

I even wondered if the souls of the children who had been trapped inside cages might have prepared this punishment for me as a form of atonement.

“Well, you want me this badly, so I’d feel sorry refusing you until the very end. But if you truly become serious about me, you’ll have to tell me as soon as possible.”

“May I ask why?”

“Because I might become engaged to Young Master Arthur Gottfried within a few months. I mean that you’ll have to confess before then if you want me to give you even a chance.”

I tried my best to smile brightly as I spouted something as obnoxious as possible, but instead of frowning, Ash nodded with an expression that suggested he had realized something.

“So it was Arthur Gottfried.”

“What?”

“No. It’s nothing.”

He seemed to have muttered something for a moment, but I hadn’t heard him properly.

But well, it probably wasn’t anything important.

In any case, he left after saying that he would try to contact me as far in advance as possible whenever he needed to visit again.